thetaOwl

XLK

Technology Select Sector SPDRClose $185.62EOD only
Max Pain
$183.00
Next expiry Aug 21, 2026
Expected Move
±$3.79
2.0% from close
Price Gap
-2.62
Distance to max pain
IV Rank
11
Low premium
P/C OI
1.57
Slightly put-heavy
Consensus
No reports available
Published snapshot: Aug 18, 2026 close
End-of-day snapshot

This page reflects XLK options positioning from the latest published market-close snapshot. Intraday price and contract changes are not displayed.

Published Snapshot
Aug 18, 2026 close
Max Pain — XLK
Data as of market close Aug 18, 2026

Nearest listed expiration 2026-08-21 shows max pain at $183.00 (2.62 below spot). Use this page to evaluate pin-risk zones, strike pressure, and open-interest concentration before selecting trade structure.

Max Pain Strike
$183.00
Nearest expiry
Expected Move
±$3.79
±2.0%
Days to Expiry
3
Calendar days
Total Call OI
45,065
Nearest expiry
Total Put OI
98,702
Nearest expiry
P/C OI Ratio
2.19
Put-heavy
Spot Price
$185.62
Published close
Consensus
-
Open report for full read

Max Pain by Expiration

Pain by Strike

Drill into expiration
Selected: 2026-08-21
ExpirationMax Pain StrikeLast Updated
2026-08-07$180.008/7/2026, 11:39:26 PM
2026-08-14$185.008/14/2026, 11:44:04 PM
2026-08-21NextUpdated$183.008/18/2026, 11:45:01 PM
2026-08-28$186.008/18/2026, 11:45:01 PM
2026-09-04$187.008/18/2026, 11:45:01 PM
2026-09-11$189.008/18/2026, 11:45:01 PM
2026-09-18$175.008/18/2026, 11:45:01 PM
2026-09-25$189.008/18/2026, 11:45:01 PM
2026-10-02$188.008/18/2026, 11:45:01 PM
2026-10-16$185.008/18/2026, 11:45:01 PM
2026-12-18$172.508/18/2026, 11:45:01 PM
2027-01-15$155.008/18/2026, 11:45:01 PM
2027-03-19$180.008/18/2026, 11:45:01 PM
2027-04-16$170.008/18/2026, 11:45:01 PM
2027-06-17$145.008/18/2026, 11:45:01 PM
Selected expiration: 2026-08-21 at max pain $183.00.
XLK pain by strike for 2026-08-21 expiration
StrikeCall PainPut PainTotal Pain
750728108000728108000
805000678780500678785500
8510000629558500629568500
9015500580355500580371000
9522000531155500531177500
10046000482059000482105000
105143500432987000433130500
110243500383929500384173000
115345500334979000335324500
120557000286226000286783000
125807000237523000238330000
1301075000189068000190143000
1311130500183943800185074300
1321189500178821100180010600
1331251100173711400174962500
1341313400168604500169917900
1351375800163501100164876900
1361438900158443700159882600
1371503300153388100154891400
1381568400148339500149907900
How to Read Max Pain
Compare pin-risk and strike-pressure across expirations from the latest published close.
What max pain measures

Max pain is the strike where option holders would collectively lose the most at expiration, based on open interest across the listed chain.

How traders use it

It is most useful as a possible pinning zone, especially when spot is already trading near a crowded strike into expiration.

What can break it

Strong directional flows, news, or fast spot moves can overwhelm any pinning tendency, so max pain should support a thesis rather than drive it alone.

The closer you are to expiration, the more useful this becomes as context and the less useful it is as a standalone prediction.